Trust losses and special payments: FOIA

The request was successful.

Dear Sir or Madam,

This is a FOIA request. The Trust is required to provide information on losses and special payments in its annual report. I am writing to request additional, more detailed information regarding these losses and payments. I am making this request because I believe there is a clear and compelling public interest in understanding more about the types of losses and special payments the Trust makes.

1. Losses and special payments

Please provide a copy of your losses and special payments register or database for the year 2016-17. I would expect this information to include, but not necessarily be limited to:

a) Category of loss or special payment (e.g. bad debt, fruitless payment, compensation payment made under legal obligation) as defined in relevant losses and special payments policy or procedure documents.
b) A summary of the loss
c) Amount paid out in £ Sterling (or other currency)
d) Debtor name (where that debtor is a company or disclosure of a person’s name is permitted by the data protection provisions of s.40)

2. Bad debts

a) Please state how much bad debt was written off in the year 2016-17.
b) If, and only if, you hold the information in an easily retrievable format, i.e. not in individual case files, please state how much of this bad debt was non-NHS and/or private patient debt write offs and/or overseas visitors related.

This request is only concerned with information which is easily exportable and does not require the Trust to review individual case files, which might trigger the cost threshold (s.12). I am interested in any and all relevant information which is easily exportable and that provides greater clarity on how losses were accrued and special payments were made, but which is not published in your annual report. The information I am requesting should not, therefore, be caught by s.21 or s.22.

If you consider that some information is exempt from disclosure please cite the section of the FOIA you are using to redact information. Please also ensure any redactions you make are sufficiently granular and do not withhold information on a 'blanket' basis. When applying exemptions which contain a public interest test, please also explain, in line with the guiding principles of the Information Tribunal, how the public interest would be, or would be likely to be, materially prejudiced by disclosure.

I would be grateful if you could be mindful of your statutory duty to provide advice and assist to requesters (s.16) when responding to this request. I would prefer to receive all information electronically and in machine-readable formats (such as .xls) where applicable. I would also be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt of this request.

Thank you for the time you will invest in providing a response.

Gratefully,

Lucas Amin

FOI, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

Dear Sir/Madam

 

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your email dated 5^th September
2017( received into our office 6^th September) requesting information
under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) regarding information on
losses and special payments

 

Your reference number is 528-17 please quote this number on any
correspondence.

 

The FOI Act sets out a twenty working day timescale for requests to be
completed by. We will always try to complete your request within this
timeframe. We will let you know whether the Trust holds the information
you have requested, and we will contact you as soon as possible if we are
delayed in our response for some reason. If we require further information
from you or we need you to further explain your request before we can
continue to process it we will also contact you. 

 

Yours,

 

Information Governance Team

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

 

 

 

 

 

The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential to the
intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient please do not
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then delete the email. The unauthorised use, disclosure, transmission,
copying or alteration of this message is strictly forbidden. Opinions,
conclusions and other information expressed in this message are not given
or endorsed by the UHNM unless such information is transmitted in the
normal course of its business.

FOI, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

2 Attachments

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Please find the response to your FOI request attached

 

Many thanks,

 

IG Team

University Hospitals of North Midlands

NHS Trust

 

 

 

 

 

 

The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential to the
intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient please do not
use or publish its contents. Please contact the sender immediately and
then delete the email. The unauthorised use, disclosure, transmission,
copying or alteration of this message is strictly forbidden. Opinions,
conclusions and other information expressed in this message are not given
or endorsed by the UHNM unless such information is transmitted in the
normal course of its business.